711.40977311 
W115s 


An  S-O-S  to  the  public 
spirited  citizens  of  Chicago 


Wacker,  Charles 


UNIVERSITY  OF 

ILLINOIS  LIBRARY 

AT  URBANA -CHAMPAIGN 

ILLINOIS  HISTORY 

AND  LINCOLN  COLLECTION; 


■    ***:* &Cl*o* 


AN 


S-O-S 

TO  THE 

PUBLIC  SPIRITED 

CITIZENS  OF 

CHICAGO 


1 1  *  j 


)A 


LINOIS 


by  Charles  H.  Wacker 


Illinois  History  and 
Lincoln  Collections 


An  S-O-S  to  the 

Public  Spirited 

Citizens  of 

Chicago 

By  Charles  H.  Wacker 


"The  spirit  of  Chicago  is 
our  greatest  asset.  It  is  not 
merely  civic  pride:  it  is  rather 
the  constant,  steady  determi- 
nation to  bring  about  the  very 
best  conditions  of  city  life  for 
all  the  people,  with  full  knowl- 
edge that  what  we  as  a  people 
decide  to  do  in  the  public 
interest  we  can  and  surely  will 
bring  to  pass." 

DANIEL   HUDSON    BURNHAM 


AN 

S-O-S 

By  Charles  H.  Wacker 

SINCE  it  came  into  being  by  Act  of  the 
City  Council  in  1909,  the  Chicago  Plan 
Commission  has  devoted  itself  single-mind- 
edly  to  the  furtherance  of  the  Plan  of  Chi- 
cago. There  has  been  gratifying  progress. 
There  have  also  been  crises — times  when  it 
has  been  necessary  to  flash  Banger  Signals  to 
our  citizens  to  remind  them  of  the  import- 
ance of  the  improvements  in  the  Plan,  and  to 
warn  them  of  consequences  if  the  improve- 
ments were  delayed. 

Today  I  am  sending  out  Another  Signal 
to  the  people  of  this  city  to  come  to  the  sup- 
port of  the  Plan  of  Chicago.  We  must  push 
the  projects  in  the  Plan  to  speedy  comple- 
tion! The  Chicago  Plan  must  have  the 
continued  assistance  of  Chicago  people! 

For  fully  twenty  years  now  I  have  been 
identified  in  an  official  capacity  with  the 
Plan  of  Chicago.  During  that  time  my 
associates  in  the  development  of  the  Plan 
have  worked  hard  with  me  to  make  a  thor- 
ough, intelligent,  and  disinterested  survey  of 
Chicago.  For  almost  fifteen  years  this  work 
has  been  carried  on  through  the  Chicago 
Plan  Commission,  which  has  had  the  ser- 
vices of  a  splendid  corps  of  experts.  During 
that  time  the  Plan  Commission  has  accumu- 
lated a  large  amount  of  data,  maps  and 

[3] 


statistics  that  will  be  of  almost  inestimable 
value  to  the  city  in  considering  future  im- 
provements. 

We  have  endeavored  to  determine  what 
Chicago  needs,  not  only  to  maintain  her 
present  standing,  but  also  to  attain  to  that 
position  for  which  (as  I  confidently  believe) 
she  is  destined:  The  greatest  city  com- 
mercially and  the  best  city  to  live  in  upon 
the  North  American  continent. 

Throughout  my  work  for  the  Plan,  I  have 
always  endeavored,  in  reaching  conclusions, 
to  let  common  sense  govern;  to  exercise 
foresight  with  wisdom  and  prudence;  and  to 
hold  to  a  practical  ideal. 

Looking  into  the  future  I  now  feel  that  I 
must  again  issue  a  Warning.  My  purpose 
is  to  put  myself  unmistakably  on  record,  and 
my  hope  is  that  the  warning  may  be  helpful 
in  keeping  alive  the  Chicago  Spirit  and  stim- 
ulating it  to  new  and  big  achievements. 
That  spirit  has  been  undaunted  in  the  past, 
and  in  it,  as  I  have  often  said,  lies  the  prom- 
ise of  the  future. 

I  have  referred  to  the  Chicago  Plan  Com- 
mission. That  body  is  composed  of  over 
three  hundred  public  officials  and  citizens — 
patriotic,  public-spirited,  and  truly  repre- 
sentative, selected  from  every  section  of  the 
city  and  from  every  walk  in  life. 

The  Commission  sponsors  a  plan  (the 
Plan  of  Chicago)  for  the  physical  develop- 
ment of  the  whole  city  and  for  the  Benefit  of 
All  of  Its  People.     It  is  non-sectional  and 

[4] 


non-sectarian.  It  has  no  private  axes  to 
grind  and  is  subservient  to  no  interests.  It 
recognizes  that  city  planning — bringing  or- 
der out  of  chaos — is  a  science. 

The  Commission  realizes  that  the  virility 
and  stability  of  our  Nation  will  depend 
upon  what  we  make  of  our  Cities,  where  over 
one-half  of  our  people  now  live.  It  realizes 
that  a  healthy,  contented,  and  vigorous 
people  is  the  nation's  greatest  asset;  and 
that  co-operation  between  Capital  and  Labor 
is  essential  to  the  nation's  well-being. 

Capital  cannot  do  without  labor,  nor  can 
labor  do  without  capital.  The  business 
man  and  the  banker,  the  employer  and  the 
employee,  the  artisan  and  the  laborer  all 
have  interests  in  common.  The  Commis- 
sion realizes  that  our  national  well-being 
(with  which  that  of  our  city  is  bound  up)  is 
also  dependent  upon  wise  legislation,  co- 
operation, and  community  of  action. 

The  Chicago  Plan  Commission  further 
realizes  that  there  is  no  place  for  congested 
areas  in  the  well-planned  city.  Over-crowd- 
ing makes  hotbeds  of  crime,  vice,  and  dis- 
order. The  city  that  tolerates  vile  and 
squalid  conditions  cannot  be  really  successful. 

Hence  the  Plan  Commission  regards 
proper  Housing,  good  sanitation,  pure  air, 
sunlight,  and  places  of  healthful  recreation 
as  among  the  inalienable  rights  of  man. 
Disregard  of  them  leads  to  trouble. 

Environment  molds  character  for  either 
good  or  bad.  Intelligence,  health,  and  good 
morals  are  encouraged  by  a  good  environ- 

[5] 


ment.  Contentment  and  loyalty  thrive  in 
it.  Good  architecture,  harmonious  develop- 
ment, and  attractive  surroundings  tend  to 
lift  us  above  sordid  industrial  existence  into 
the  realm  of  the  beautiful  and  ennobling 
things  of  life.  Citizens  nurtured  in  a  good 
environment  are  those  who  best  perform  the 
world's  work. 

Now  what  can  the  Plan  Commission  show 
for  its  efforts  during  the  past  fourteen  years 
to  improve  our  local  environment? 

First,  it  can  show  substantial  progress 
made  toward  the  creation  of  1,138  acres 
(nearly  two  square  miles)  of  Park  Lands 
being  developed  by  the  South  Park  Com- 
missioners along  the  shore  of  Lake  Michi- 
gan, in  line  with  the  Plan  of  Chicago. 

Next  it  can  call  attention  to  30,000  acres 
of  Forest  Preserves,  acquired  by  the  Board  of 
Forest  Preserve  Commissioners  of  Cook 
County,  as  recommended  in  the  Chicago 
Plan. 

Ten  Great  Street  Improvements  under  way, 
and  six  others  of  less  general  importance, 
add  to  the  record.  Of  these  Michigan 
Avenue,  Roosevelt  Road,  South  Park  Ave- 
nue and  Ogden  Avenue  have  been  virtually 
completed.  Western  Avenue,  South  Water 
Street,  and  Ashland  Avenue  are  going  for- 
ward. 

Ordinances  have  been  passed  for  Robey 
Street,  Twenty-second  Street,  Indiana  Ave- 
nue, Polk  Street,  Taylor  Street,  Jefferson 
Street,  Clinton  Street,  Desplaines  Street, 
and  Canal  Street. 

[6] 


The  plan  includes  the  development  of  a 
Quadrangle  of  Wide  Streets  around  the  cen- 
tral business  district;  provision  for  addi- 
tional entrances  to  and  exits  from  the  loop; 
and  the  development  of  a  complete  system 
of  major  through  streets  to  be  officially 
adopted  by  the  city. 

Besides  the  foregoing,  two  other  improve- 
ments of  greatest  importance  to  the  city  are 
going  forward  in  accordance  with  the  Plan 
of  Chicago.  One  is  the  Union  Station  de- 
velopment on  the  west  side. 

The  other  is  the  Illinois  Central  Railroad 
Terminal  on  the  south  side,  including  the 
electrification  of  its  train  operation.  Thus, 
after  fourteen  years,  the  Plan  Commission 
can  now  show  Fourteen  Major  Projects  pro- 
gressing toward  completion. 

The  Commission  could  not  have  accom- 
plished so  much  without  the  support  of 
Public  Opinion.  At  the  outset  of  our  work 
we  knew  we  should  have  to  have  public 
opinion  with  us,  and  so  we  earnestly  sought 
to  win  it.  We  are  constantly  striving  for  a 
more  widespread  understanding  of  our  work, 
in  order  that  we  may  gain  friends  and  sup- 
porters. 

And  the  fact  is  that  the  Commission  en- 
joys to  a  marked  degree  the  confidence  of 
the  citizens  of  Chicago.  It  has  the  loyal 
and  unstinted  support  of  the  present  city 
administration  under  Mayor  Dever,  as  it 
had  that  of  all  the  administrations  through 
which  it  has  passed — the  administrations  of 
Mayors  Busse,  Harrison,  and  Thompson; 

[7] 


and  of  all  other  governmental  bodies  with 
which  it  has  come  in  contact. 

We  are  grateful  to  each  succeeding  admin- 
istration for  the  support  it  has  given  to  the 
projects  of  the  Chicago  Plan  Commission 
and  the  progress  made  in  carrying  them  out. 
The  officials  of  these  bodies  (many  of  whom 
have  served  or  are  serving  as  ex-officio  mem- 
bers of  the  Plan  Commission)  have  recog- 
nized the  Fundamental  Importance  of  City 
Planning  in  advancing  the  welfare  of  the 
people,  and  have  co-operated  to  the  fullest 
extent  in  carrying  out  the  projects  suggested 
in  the  Plan  of  Chicago. 

The  Plan  Commission  has  enjoyed  the  in- 
valuable, unprecedented,  and  public-spirited 
support  of  the  entire  press  of  Chicago  during 
the  fourteen-year  period  of  its  work. 

The  Commission  has  withstood  the  Acid 
Test  of  time,  and  well  deserves  unqualified 
and  continuous  support. 

Chicago  knows  what  she  needs — of  this 
there  can  be  no  question.  She  needs  the 
fundamental  improvements  in  the  Plan  of 
Chicago  to  make  her  not  only  the  Metropolis 
of  this  country,  but  also  a  healthful,  com- 
fortable, and  attractive  place  for  All  Her 
People  to  live  and  work  in;  so  attractive, 
indeed,  that  she  will  draw  the  people  of  the 
world  continually  to  her  doors,  bringing  in 
much  with  them  and  taking  away  nothing 
that  will  leave  the  city  poorer. 

The  function  of  the  Chicago  Plan  Com- 
mission is  to  see  that  Chicago  gets  what  she 

[8] 


needs.  In  exercising  its  function  and  mak- 
ing its  recommendations  the  Chicago  Plan 
Commission  tolerates  no  guess-work,  no 
makeshifts,  and  no  "line  of  least  resistance" 
policy.  It  stands  firmly,  squarely,  and  un- 
equivocally upon  a  platform  of  improve- 
ments which  shall  be  Adequate  not  only  for 
today  but  also  for  the  future.  If  it  ever 
changes  its  position  in  this  respect  its  use- 
fulness will  be  over  and  it  should  be  dis- 
solved. 

So  much  for  the  Chicago  Plan  Commis- 
sion.    Now  what  about  the  Chicago  Plan? 

The  Chicago  Plan  is  a  scientific  and  thor- 
ough analysis  of  the  present  and  future  needs 
of  our  city.  It  is  a  practical  and  economi- 
cal plan  for  the  mighty  task  of  remodeling 
Chicago  in  an  orderly  and  systematic  way. 

The  need  for  a  plan  grew  out  of  the 
Changed  Conditions  which  belong  to  the 
twentieth  century,  and  out  of  the  marvel- 
ous! y  rapid  growth  of  the  city.  Without 
guidance  Chicago's  development  will  be  in 
accordance  with  the  extravagant,  unintelli- 
gent, haphazard,  and  disjointed  manner  of 
the  past.  The  Plan  of  Chicago  furnishes  the 
guidance. 

Every  city  should  have  a  sound,  practical, 
and  scientifically  prepared  plan,  embodying 
fundamental  principles,  to  guide  its  physical 
development.  Because  of  the  rapidly  chang- 
ing conditions  in  our  American  cities,  how- 
ever, all  city  plans  are  necessarily  subject  to 
modification  from  time  to  time  to  meet 
modern  requirements. 


In  the  Chicago  Plan  the  genius  of  Daniel 
H.  Burnham  pointed  out  the  great  possibili- 
ties for  improving  and  beautifying  this  city. 
The  Plan  stands  out  today  as  fresh  and  sug- 
gestive as  it  ever  was,  although  fifteen  years 
have  elapsed  since  it  was  presented  to  the  city 
as  a  gift  from  The  Commercial  Club  of  Chicago. 

It  testifies  to  Mr.  Burnham's  keen  fore- 
sight and  wisdom,  and  proves  that  he  and 
his  collaborator,  Mr.  E.  H.  Bennett  (our 
present  consultant),  who,  with  their  able  co- 
workers (under  the  direction  of  The  Com- 
mercial Club)  produced  the  Plan,  possessed  a 
vision  far  in  advance  of  their  time. 

All  those  who  are  active  in  the  work  of  the 
Chicago  Plan,  and  who  are  keeping  it  con- 
stantly abreast  of  the  times,  never  cease  to 
wonder  at  its  clearness,  definiteness,  and 
comprehensiveness  in  dealing  with  the  fun- 
damental problems  of  the  future  as  well  as 
the  present. 

Every  one  of  the  Plan  improvements  un- 
der way  could  Stand  Alone  as  fully  worth  all 
its  cost;  but  when  the  improvements  are  re- 
garded collectively,  both  those  under  way 
and  those  proposed,  then  it  appears  how 
closely  they  dovetail,  and  how  efficiently 
they  Function  Together.  There  you  have  the 
essence  of  the  Plan  of  Chicago :  Unity,  Order, 
Convenience,  Economy. 

The  Plan  is  a  Standard  of  Ideals:  "Ideals 
are  like  the  stars;  we  cannot  touch  them 
with  our  hands,  but  like  the  storm-tossed 
mariner  on  the  troubled  seas,  we  may  follow 
them  and  ultimately  reach  our  destiny." 

[10] 


President  Cleveland  once  said:  "In  all 
practical  affairs  mere  idealizing,  however 
earnest,  accomplishes  nothing.  To  be  of 
value  it  must  carry  with  it  a  definite  pro- 
gram which  the  ordinary  citizen  can  under- 
stand." 

The  Chicago  Plan  meets  these  require- 
ments fully.  The  Plan  is  not  only  Ideal,  but 
it  is  Practical;  it  is  Economically  Sound;  it 
carries  with  it  a  Definite  Program;  it  is  easily 
understood  by  all.  If  consummated,  the 
Plan  will  enrich  in  the  highest  human  way 
every  man,  woman,  and  child  in  Chicago. 

I  have  alluded  to  the  headway  which  has 
already  been  made  on  the  Plan.  I  want  also 
to  speak  of  what  remains  to  be  done,  and  to 
say,  as  emphatically  as  I  can,  that  we  must 
not  rest  complacently  upon  past  achieve- 
ments, but  that  we  must  Go  Forward  earn- 
estly and  with  all  possible  speed  with  the 
execution  of  the  improvements  already  un- 
der way  and  those  to  follow. 

The  Central  Business  District  of  Chicago 
is  two  miles  square.  It  is  bounded  by  Lake 
Michigan,  Chicago  Avenue,  Halsted  Street 
and  Roosevelt  Road.  The  fact  that  32.5 
per  cent  of  this  area  is  occupied  by  railroads, 
and  the  further  fact  that  Only  Four  out  of 
twenty-four  north-and-south  streets  extend 
the  two  miles  between  Chicago  Avenue  and 
Roosevelt  Road,  emphasize  the  need  for  the 
re-arrangement  of  railroad  terminals,  the 
straightening  of  the  river,  the  establishment 
of  fixed  bridges,  and  the  development 
of   additional   street  facilities   to   en- 

r  11 1 


able  the  central  business  district  to  expand 
normally. 

Right  at  the  present  moment  the  very 
important  plan  to  Straighten  the  Chicago 
River  between  Polk  Street  and  18th  Street 
(which  is  involved  with  the  re-arrangement 
of  railroad  terminals)  is  before  the  public 
authorities  for  action.  Without  this 
straightening  it  will  be  impossible  to 
Extend  Five  Loop  Streets  (Market,  Franklin, 
Wells,  La  Salle  and  Dearborn)  from  their 
present  termini  south  through  the  area  now 
absorbed  by  railroad  uses,  to  connect  with 
Wentworth  Avenue,  Archer  Avenue  (the 
great  southwest  diagonal  thoroughfare), 
and  with  the  other  south  side  streets. 

Subways,  when  constructed,  must  be  of  a 
nature  beneficial  to  every  section  of  the  city, 
since  our  citizens  must  be  provided  with 
rapid,  through  and  uninterrupted  transit 
so  as  to  permit  the  transportation  facilities 
of  the  entire  city  to  function  as  a  unit. 
Comprehensive  subway  plans  should  con- 
template eliminating  the  elevated  and  sur- 
face street  car  lines  within  the  central  busi- 
ness district  to  the  greatest  degree  practi- 
cable. 

A  Major  Street  Plan  is  a  plan  to  systema- 
tize main,  or  major  thoroughfares.  It  in- 
cludes the  opening  of  necessary  new  streets, 
and  the  widening,  extending,  or  improve- 
ment of  existing  streets.  The  purpose  is  to 
design  streets  to  handle  the  kind  and  volume 
of  traffic  which  they  will  be  required  to  take, 
in  order  that  the  entire  street  system  may  be 


co-ordinated  through  the  provisions  of  di- 
rect, ample,  continuous,  and  convenient 
main  routes  of  travel  through  the  city. 

I  desire  to  emphasize  the  value  of  such  a 
plan  as  strongly  as  possible. 

Now  is  the  Time  to  lay  out  a  system  of 
major  through  streets  for  official  adoption 
by  the  city.  This  could  not  have  been  done 
intelligently  until  a  Zoning  ordinance  had 
been  adopted.  If  we  now  add  a  major  street 
plan  to  the  zoning  ordinance,  which  estab- 
lishes the  use  and  development  of  land,  then 
the  public  authorities  will  be  better  able  to 
plan  intelligently  and  economically  for 
street  paving,  street  lighting,  sidewalks, 
sewers  and  other  public  utilities.  Such  pro- 
cedure will  undoubtedly  bring  about  a  great 
public  saving. 

The  undertaking  to  make  a  Regional  Plan 
is  also  timely,  and  should  be  strongly  sup- 
ported; but  that  very  plan  will  make  im- 
perative the  laying  out  of  a  system  of 
major  through  streets  within  the  City  of 
Chicago,  because  it  is  obvious  that  the  re- 
gional thoroughfares  must  be  designed  to 
function  with  the  city  streets. 

I  do  not  believe  that  any  one  can  be  satis- 
fied with  Chicago  as  it  is.  I  believe  every  one 
would  be  glad  to  see  the  Congestion  upon 
our  streets  relieved.  I  believe  every  one 
would  find  elements  of  direct  personal  ad- 
vantage to  himself  if  he  could  go  about  his 
business  unhindered  by  traffic  jams. 

But  if  the  congestion  of  our  streets  is  seri- 
ous today,  think  how  it  will  be  augmented 

[is! 


by  the  Increase  of  the  Automotive  Vehicle 
and  the  Skyscraper — those  two  twentieth 
century  phenomena!  Yes,  we  must  take 
drastic  measures  now  to  provide  better  fa- 
cilities for  the  movement  of  persons  and 
vehicles  to  and  fro.  It  would  be  pure  folly 
to  let  the  situation  get  so  bad  that  any  sort 
of  relief  will  be  grasped,  no  matter  at  what 
expense. 

Consider  the  one  fact  of  Motor  Traffic  and 
its  relation  to  wide  streets  and  good  roads. 
Many  people  who  favor  inadequate  street 
widenings  are  still  thinking,  as  was  said 
during  the  automobile  show  just  closed,  in 
terms  of  the  horse  and  buggy,  although 
there  were  15,280,295  registered  passenger 
cars  and  trucks  operated  in  the  United 
States  on  January  1,  1924,  according  to  the 
report  of  the  Department  of  Commerce. 

At  the  automobile  show  we  were  also  told 
that  "The  building  of  wider  roads  and  the 
elimination  of  congestion  in  cities  have  be- 
come Industrial  Problems  of  the  First  Class, 
and  Chicago's  proposal  to  double  the  width 
of  the  main  paved  arteries  within  a  hundred- 
mile  radius  of  its  center  is  one  that  should 
have  the  support  of  every  man  interested 
in  the  manufacture  or  use  of  cars." 

Think  of  it — an  automobile  for  every 
seven  persons  in  the  country!  While  motor 
truck  service  is  still  in  its  swaddling  clothes. 
Such  conditions  cannot  be  ignored.  We  must 
reckon  with  them. 

Take,  too,  the  facts  of  the  skyscraper, 
the  huge  apartment  building,  and  the  tene- 

[14] 


ment.  They  demand  Street  Facilities  on  a 
much  larger  scale  than  was  ever  dreamed 
of  before. 

In  Chicago  today  the  loop  is  built  up  to 
only  50%  of  its  capacity,  and  yet  the  con- 
gestion of  traffic  upon  loop  streets  is  nerve- 
racking,  dangerous,  and  uneconomic.  We 
call  it  "intolerable,"  but  that  is  a  fiction, 
for  we  do  tolerate  it. 

Street  congestion  will  grow  worse  with 
the  erection  of  every  additional  skyscraper 
until  our  streets  will  have  become  so  over- 
crowded that  it  will  be  impossible  to  do  any 
business,  or  even  to  move  around  in  the 
downtown  section. 

The  example  of  others  is  full  of  profit  for 
us,  if  only  we  will  heed.  New  York,  for  in- 
stance, laid  out  its  street  system  in  1811. 
It  made  every  north-and-south  street  100 
feet  wide,  and  provided  155  east-and-west 
streets,  running  from  river  to  river.  Of 
these  east-and-west  streets  fifteen,  prac- 
tically every  tenth  street,  were  made  100 
feet  wide,  and  the  remainder  60  feet  wide. 

Now,  in  1924,  New  York  finds  the  100- 
foot  street  totally  inadequate  for  modern  re- 
quirements and  is  planning  various  meth- 
ods of  relief.  Many  improvements  which 
New  York  needs  today  cannot  be  made  at 
all,  and  those  which  can  be  made  are  tre- 
mendously costly. 

Country  roads  and  city  streets  to  be  laid 
out  in  the  Greater  London  District  will  have 
a  right  of  way  120  feet  wide  in  most  cases — 
100  feet  as  a  minimum  width — if  the  present 

[15] 


plans  of  the  government  are  carried  out. 
The  plans  involve  a  total  of  several  thous- 
and miles  of  additional  new  construction, 
designed  to  make  London  the  center  of  the 
most  adequately  roaded  section  in  the 
world. 

And  here  in  Chicago,  where  we  have  but 
few  streets  even  100  feet  wide,  we  are  talk- 
ing of  limiting  La  Salle  Street  (destined  to 
be  the  second  most  important  street  in  the 
city,  if  adequately  widened),  to  a  width  of 
only  80  feet  with  a  roadway  only  56  feet 
wide!     Comment  is  unnecessary. 

The  only  adequate  method  of  dealing 
with  the  problem  of  congestion  in  Chicago 
is  to  follow  the  suggestions  in  the  Chicago 
Plan. 

The  present  generation  should  be  not 
only  willing  but  glad  to  incur  the  cost  neces- 
sary to  build  comprehensively  to  secure  the 
gratitude  (to  say  nothing  of  the  advantage) 
of  its  children  and  children's  children.  If 
we  take  this  course,  posterity  will  rightly 
interpret  our  humanitarian  and  practical 
spirit  and  will  emulate  it  as  well  as  profit 
by  it. 

In  the  eyes  of  posterity  Chicago's  effort 
to  plan  for  the  future  will  stand  out  in  bold 
contrast  to  the  Lack  of  Foresight  which  is  so 
serious  a  defect  in  our  national  practice  to- 
day. For  an  instance  of  the  prevailing  lack 
of  foresight  we  do  not  have  to  look  farther 
than  the  present  physical  layout  of  Chicago 
itself.  It  is  a  welter  of  confusion;  but  the 
Plan  of  Chicago  points  the  way  out. 

rial 


If  the  men  and  women  of  Chicago  want 
to  get  out  it  is  squarely  up  to  them.  What 
are  they  going  to  do  about  it?  It  is  a  big 
task.  Let  them  grapple  with  it  now  and 
the  end  can  be  attained  economically.  If 
they  wait  there  is  no  telling  what  can  or 
cannot  be  done. 

Subways,  sub-sidewalks,  overhead  side- 
walks, alley  sidewalks,  escalators,  arcades 
and  what  not  have  been  suggested  for  the 
relief  of  congestion,  but  when  all  has  been 
said,  the  major  projects  of  the  Chicago  Plan 
Commission  are  still  fundamental.  They 
are  a§  necessary  to  Chicago  as  a  caisson 
foundation  is  to  a  skyscraper. 

These  projects:  The  River  Straightening 
and  the  extension  of  north-and- south  streets; 
the  improvement  of  various  east-and-west 
streets;  the  two-level  improvement  of  South 
Water  Street,  connecting  Michigan  A  venue 
with  Market  Street  on  the  upper  level,  and 
the  freight  yards  east  of  Michigan  Avenue 
with  those  on  the  west  side  on  the  lower 
level;  the  connecting  of  Jackson  Park  with 
Grant  Park,  and  of  Grant  Park  with  Lincoln 
Park — such  projects  as  these  will  have  so 
vital  a  bearing  upon  all  other  projects  (how- 
ever commendable)  that  they  must  be  set- 
tled First,  after  which  the  others  can  follow 
intelligently. 

Consider  the  Pedestrian.  He  certainly 
gets  little  enough  consideration  otherwise. 
He  is  regarded  as  just  a  nuisance,  and  when 
he  is  a  "jay-walker"  he  IS  a  nuisance;  but 
no  more  so  than  the  reckless  or  inconsider- 

[17] 


ate  automobile  driver,  who  respects  no  one 
from  the  traffic  officer  down.  The  pedes- 
trian repays  the  inconsiderate  motorist  for 
his  indifference  with  bitter  dislike,  and  out 
of  carelessness  on  both  sides  has  resulted  the 
Mayor's  Safety  Commission,  an  important 
agency  in  reducing  the  number  of  accidents. 

The  pedestrian  finds  that  he  has  fewer  and 
fewer  rights  in  our  streets.  The  Sidewalk,  at 
least,  should  be  his  undisputed  domain,  but 
even  his  rights  to  the  sidewalk  are  being  cur- 
tailed. In  Chicago  it  is  now  seriously  pro- 
posed (has,  in  fact,  actually  been  done  in 
several  instances)  to  narrow  the  sidewalks  in 
order  to  make  wider  roadways  for  street 
traffic. 

The  Chicago  Plan  Commission  Positively 
Disapproves  any  such  Makeshift,  plainly 
foreseeing  the  whole  future  reaction  to  a 
course  of  action  so  unsound  economically 
and  so  unfair  to  the  pedestrian. 

Statistics  show  that  less  than  one-tenth  of 
the  people  of  Chicago  own  automobiles; 
that  only  one-half  have  access  to  the  auto; 
and  that  fully  one-half  do  not  use  the 
automobile  at  all. 

Chicago  is  already  well  on  the  way  to  its 
goal.  A  break  in  the  forward  movement  of 
the  Chicago  Plan  will  be  Calamitous  in  its 
effect  upon  the  welfare  of  the  city  and  will 
shatter  the  hopes  for  the  future,  which  are 
today  so  promising  and  so  well  founded. 
When  once  we  know  what  we  should  do  to  go 
forward  it  is  Stagnation  to  Delay.     Stagna- 

[18] 


tion  means  losing  out  in  the  march  of 
progress.     It  is  fatal  in  the  end. 

Yes,  I  repeat,  Chicago's  Enlightened  Self- 
interest  demands  speed  in  carrying  out  the 
projects  proposed  in  the  Plan  of  Chicago. 

The  Chicago  Plan  is  Practical.  It  pro- 
vides for  doing  now  those  things  which  must 
be  done  anyway  at  some  time  in  the  future. 
To  do  them  Now  means  Economy.  To  de- 
lay means  a  greatly  increased  or  even  pro- 
hibitive cost. 

We  must  make  the  Chicago  Plan  the 
Ideal  for  Chicago.  We  must  work  for  it 
and  dare  to  stand  and  fight  for  it.  This  is, 
in  effect,  the  position  of  the  Chicago  Plan 
Commission,  which,  ever  since  its  establish- 
ment, has  urged  the  complete  execution  of 
the  Plan  and  has  admonished  against  delay. 
Delay  has  already  made  some  improvements 
once  contemplated  now  prohibitively  costly. 

Difficulties  need  not  dishearten  us,  for 
there  is  no  difficulty  that  cannot  be  over- 
come by  the  "I  Will"  spirit. 

If  it  is  our  Legal  Procedure  which  is  too 
burdensome,  expensive  and  unwieldy  (as  it 
certainly  seems  to  be),  then  we  must  act 
to  secure  carefully  planned  remedial  legis- 
lation. 

If  it  is  the  Bonding  Power  of  the  city  that 
is  too  limited  to  permit  improvements  and 
public  works  commensurate  with  the  im- 
portant position  which  Chicago  now  holds, 
then  we  must  find  ways  and  means  to  in- 
crease the  bonding  power  through  action  by 
the  legislature  at  Springfield. 

[19] 


The  older  cities  on  our  eastern  seaboard 
have  already  found  that  if  they,  as  municipal 
corporations,  were  to  serve  the  needs  of 
their  large  and  growing  populations,  and 
of  their  business  interests  adequately,  they 
must  be  endowed  with  larger  financial  power. 

There  are  253  municipalities  in  the  United 
States  with  a  population  of  30,000  or  more, 
183  of  which  reported  financial  statistics  to 
the  Federal  Census  Bureau  (1921).  Of  the 
183  cities  reporting,  131  have  a  per  capita 
debt  larger  than  Chicago's,  and  only  52  owe 
less  money  per  inhabitant  than  Chicago 
does. 

The  great  advantage  which  other  cities 
have  over  Chicago  in  the  ability  to  borrow 
money  to  make  needed  public  improve- 
ments is  shown  by  the  following  table  taken 
from  these  Federal  census  statistics.  Of 
the  twelve  largest  cities  in  United  States, 
three  (Detroit,  Cleveland,  and  Baltimore) 
did  not  report  their  financial  statistics  to 
the  Census  Bureau.  The  remaining  nine 
largest  cities,  arranged  according  to  size  of 
their  per  capita  debt,  are : 

New  York $182.93 

Pittsburgh 107.91 

Boston.... 107.29 

San  Francisco 96.75 

Philadelphia 81.16 

Los  Angeles 75.03 

Buffalo 70.58 

Chicago 32.31 

St.  Louis 19.42 

(Since  the  report  of  1921  was  made  St.  Louis  has 

increased  its  bonded  indebtedness  $112.88  per 

capita  over  and  above  this  amount) 

[so] 


The  Chicago  item  includes  the  bonded 
indebtedness  of  the  city,  the  schools,  the 
park  systems,  the  county  (within  the  city ) , 
the  forest  preserves  (within  the  city),  and 
the  sanitary  district  (within  the  city) . 

So  far  as  its  public  debt  is  concerned, 
Chicago  is  in  a  class  with  cities  like  Grand 
Rapids,  Michigan;  Davenport,  Iowa;  Ken- 
osha, Wisconsin;  and  Oak  Park,  Illinois, — 
cities  with  populations  of  from  40,000  to 
140,000,  the  largest  of  which  is  less  than  one- 
twentieth  the  size  of  Chicago. 

Furthermore  New  York,  Philadelphia, 
and  other  large  cities  are  permitted  (which 
Chicago  is  not)  to  deduct  from  their  munici- 
pal indebtedness  all  bonds  issued  to  finance 
municipal  public  works  (such  as  waterworks, 
wharves,  and  the  like),  in  all  cases  where  the 
income  from  such  works  is  sufficient  to  pay 
the  interest  and  amortization  charges  on 
the  bonds. 

Chicago  cannot  incur  municipal  indebted- 
ness in  excess  of  five  per  cent  of  the  assessed 
valuation  of  property.  This  produces  an 
amount  of  money  very  far  from  sufficient  to 
take  care  of  the  present  and  future  needs  of 
the  city. 

How  can  this  situation  be  remedied?  In 
two  ways  only.  One  way  is  to  increase  the 
present  five  per  cent  limitation.  (New 
York's  limitation  at  the  present  time  is  ten 
per  cent.)  The  other  way  is  to  assess  on  an 
increased  precentage  of  the  full  value,  in- 
stead of  on  50  per  cent  of  the  full  value,  as 
at  present. 

[Ml 


The  idea  is  sometimes  advanced  that 
High  Taxes  are  due  to  Chicago  Plan  im- 
provements. This  idea  is  unfounded.  Up 
to  the  present  all  ten  of  the  principal  Chi- 
cago Plan  street  improvements  now  going 
forward  have  added  Less  than  Two-Tenths 
of  a  Cent  to  each  dollar  paid  for  taxes. 

Even  if  it  were  necessary  to  Double  the 
amount  of  these  bonds  in  order  to  Complete 
these  ten  essential  improvements,  it  would 
only  amount  to  the  small  sum  of  Four- 
Tenths  of  a  Cent  on  each  dollar  of  taxes,  or 
40  cents  on  each  $100  of  assessed  value. 
Under  these  circumstances  property  worth 
$10,000  would  pay  only  $40  per  year  for  the 
total  cost  of  completing  all  ten  of  these 
projects;  and  property  valued  at  $100,000 
would  pay  but  $400  per  year.  In  view  of 
So  Small  an  increase  in  taxes  (to  cover 
sinking  fund  and  interest)  no  organization 
is  justified  in  opposing  Chicago  Plan  im- 
provements. 

The  money  spent  for  these  improvements 
is  Invested,  not  merely  expended.  The 
Advertising  Value  alone  of  these  great  bet- 
terments is  beyond  calculation.  They  have 
advertised  Chicago  favorably  around  the 
world  in  a  way  which  money  could  not  buy. 

Every  one  of  the  Plan  of  Chicago  im- 
provements completed  or  under  way  has 
added  Real  Material  Value  to  the  individ- 
uals who  were  assessed  to  make  it.  Higher 
Property  Values  mean  increased  revenue  to 
the  city.  With  Fair  Tax  Levies  upon  the  in- 
creased values  which  have  already  taken 

fflSl 


place,  and  the  further  increases  bound  to 
come,  Plan  improvements,  far  from  being 
the  cause  of  high  taxes,  should  be  the  means 
of  Reducing  Taxes  generally  throughout  the 
city. 

The  Cost  of  Chicago  Plan  improvements 
has  always  been  Far  Less  than  the  Benefits 
which  these  improvements  have  produced. 
The  Michigan  Avenue  improvement,  for 
instance,  has  paid  for  itself  six  times  over 
through  the  increased  property  values  re- 
sulting from  the  improvement,  to  say  noth- 
ing of  the  great  saving  in  time  and  money 
because  of  the  widened  thoroughfare. 

The  Object  of  the  Chicago  Plan  is  two-fold. 
On  the  one  hand  it  is  to  make  a  greater  Chi- 
cago Commercially  and  Industrially,  by 
means  of  improvements  adequate  to  safe- 
guard, develop,  and  promote  Chicago's  busi- 
ness interests.  In  this  way  our  interests  will 
be  protected  from  possible  serious  inroads 
on  the  part  of  progressive  competing  cities. 
On  the  other  hand  the  Chicago  Plan  will 
make  Chicago  a  Better  City  from  Every 
Humanitarian  Point  of  View. 

We  as  a  city  have  suffered  much  from 
public  indifference  it  is  true,  but  we  can 
profit  now  from  the  lessons  of  the  past.  We 
can  broaden  our  knowledge  of  the  city's 
needs;  we  can  intensify  our  interest  in  civic 
affairs.  We  can  frown  upon  bickering  and 
quibbling ;  we  can  do  away  with  dilatory  tactics . 

Business  Men  should  support  the  efforts 
of  the  Chicago  Plan  Commission  because  the 
very  life  of  the  city  depends  upon  its  facili- 

U3  1 


ties  for  doing  business  and  its  ability  to 
meet  competition.  People  buy  where  they 
can  buy  most  cheaply,  and  that  city  which 
places  itself  in  the  most  advantageous  eco- 
nomic position  will  get  the  business. 

Chicago  might  have  had  the  automobile 
business  if  our  people  had  been  alive  to  their 
opportunities.  Now  we  have  the  chance  to 
obtain  the  airplane  industry,  because  Chi- 
cago is  the  logical  place  for  it,  if  we  provide 
adequate  airplane  landing  fields  and  the 
other  essentials  to  attract  that  industry 
here.  But  unless  our  business  men  awake 
we  shall  Lose  This  Opportunity  also. 

The  Plan  of  Chicago  should  have  the 
aggressive  support  of  Labor.  The  Plan 
stands  for  the  highest  standards  of  living, 
for  better  working  conditions,  more  recre- 
ational facilities,  and  the  stamping  out  of 
overcrowded  conditions,  with  their  atten- 
dant evils. 

Every  Citizen  has  a  sacred  obligation  to 
help  make  his  city  (his  home)  greater  and 
better.  Some  are  enthusiastically  at  work, 
but  not  enough.  Men  and  women  of  Chica- 
go, let  us  present  a  United  Front.  Every  one 
will  be  rewarded  for  the  effort  he  puts  forth 
now.  Selfishness,  sectionalism,  and  narrow 
policies  must  not  be  allowed  to  stand  in  the 
way  of  the  city's  progress.  We  must  put 
"the  greatest  good  of  the  greatest  number" 
before  everything  else. 

I  repeat,  Every  Element  in  the  Life  of  this 
City  should  be  enthusiastically  behind  the 
Plan  of  Chicago  because  it  materially  im- 

r  24 1 


proves  business  facilities,  increases  traffic  cir- 
culation, enhances  property  values,  and  pro- 
motes the  welfare  of  all  the  people. 

The  Plan  recognizes  that  Chicago  is  the 
Center  of  the  Population  of  the  United  States 
and  that  within  a  radius  of  500  miles  live 
over  half  the  people  of  our  country. 

It  recognizes  that  Chicago  is  the  Natural 
Gateway  between  the  East  and  the  West; 
that  it  is  the  foremost  Railroad  Center  on 
this  continent  and  that  rail  and  water  can 
best  be  brought  together  here. 

It  recognizes  and  asserts  that  there  should 
be  no  cessation  of  the  effort  to  crystallize  a 
strong  public  opinion  in  favor  of  more  Com- 
mercial and  Industrial  Harbor  facilities  for 
Chicago,  so  that  every  citizen  may  under- 
stand how  his  interests  are  affected. 

The  city  or  commercial  harbor  is  used  lo- 
cally for  passengers  and  the  handling  of 
coal,  fruit,  vegetables,  and  other  merchan- 
dise. The  industrial  harbor  is  used  in  con- 
nection with  the  handling  of  commodities 
which  are  in  transit  through  the  city  or 
which  are  required  for  manufacture. 

When  Chicago  becomes  an  Inland  Sea- 
port, which  it  is  surely  destined  to  become 
through  the  development  of  the  St.  Law- 
rence seaway,  a  transfer  harbor  adequate  to 
care  for  ocean-going  vessels  will  be  required. 

"Three  factors  determine  the  commercial 
supremacy  of  a  city  by  the  sea;  first,  its 
potential  tributary  commerce;  second,  the 
size   and  accessibility  of  its  harbor;   and, 

[25] 


third,  the  development  of  its  docks  to  meet 
the  requirements  and  accelerate  the  increase 
of  its  commerce." 

Fixed  Bridges  are  sure  to  come.  They  will 
necessitate  the  establishment  of  a  Barge 
System,  provided  with  adequate  dockage, 
transfer  and  terminal  facilities,  upon  the 
Chicago  River  and  its  branches. 

Besides  that,  Chicago  needs  ample  Termi- 
nal and  other  facilities  for  barges,  in  con- 
nection with  the  lighterage  system  now  being 
developed  on  the  Mississippi  River,  and 
which  will  be  extended  to  Chicago  when  the 
Lakes-to-the-Gulf  Waterway  has  been  com- 
pleted. 

We  agree  unqualifiedly  as  to  the  import- 
ance of  the  Lakes-to-the-Gulf  waterway  in- 
dicated by  the  following  extract  from  the 
1909  Report  of  the  Chicago  Harbor  Com- 
mission: 

"A  Lakes-to-the-Gulf  waterway  would 
afford  water  transportation  to  and  from  the 
Gulf  of  Mexico,  and  give  easy  access  to  the 
Panama  Canal.  If  the  movement  for  im- 
provement of  the  tributaries  of  the  Missis- 
sippi River  shall  be  successful,  the  Lakes-to- 
the-Gulf  waterway  will  give  Chicago  water 
communication  with  all  the  vast  area 
reached  by  these  water  courses. 

"Through  these  routes  Chicago  manu- 
facturers and  jobbers  may  distribute  their 
goods  to  a  large  and  rapidly  growing  popu- 
lation. Lumber  and  coal  may  be  brought  in 
from  the  south.    Ultimately,  the  raw  cotton 

[26] 


of  the  South  may  be  brought  to  mills  to  be 
developed  in  this  area.  Sugar,  coffee,  and 
the  less  perishable  tropical  products  will  also 
make  use  of  such  a  route.  It  is  probable 
that  in  the  future  traffic  north  and  south  be- 
tween Temperate  and  Tropical  Zones  will 
increase  more  rapidly  than  that  east  and 
west. 

"To  derive  the  highest  benefit  from  the 
Lakes-to-the-Gulf  waterway,  Chicago  must 
be  provided  with  adequate  water  terminal 
facilities  for  the  handling,  storage,  and  trans- 
fer of  goods.  The  question  of  a  satisfactory 
northern  outlet  or  connecting  channel  with 
Lake  Michigan  for  this  waterway,  becomes  a 
matter  of  fundamental  importance." 

As  a  result  of  our  apathy,  Chicago  has  not 
received  the  river  and  harbor  appropria- 
tions that  it  should  have  received  from  the 
Federal  Government,  and  we  are  lagging 
behind  other  important  cities  on  the  Great 
Lakes  in  harbor  development. 

Our  apathy  has  also  resulted  in  a  lack  of 
Federal  appropriations  sufficient  for  the  pur- 
chase of  land  and  the  construction  of  a 
new,  adequate,  and  sanitary  Post  Office. 
Chicago  is  the  pivotal  point  of  the  nation's 
mail  service,  and  its  inadequate  postal 
facilities  seriously  injure  the  commercial 
interests  not  only  of  Chicago  but  also  of 
more  than  two  hundred  important  cities  in 
the  nineteen  surrounding  states. 

There  is  no  division  of  opinion  with  re- 
gard to  yet  another  need  in  Chicago,  and 
that  is  for  a  convention  hall  of  a  size  ade- 

[27] 


quate  to  take  care  of  the  largest  conven- 
tions. With  no  difference  of  opinion,  there- 
fore, and  with  several  years  of  discussion 
behind  us,  why  have  we  no  results  to  record? 
Again  because  of  apathy,  and  because  of  sec- 
tional differences  and  lack  of  co-ordinated 
activity. 

We  missed  our  opportunity  to  secure  the 
automobile  industry;  we  may  lose  out  by  not 
making  adequate  provision  for  the  airplane 
industry  and  for  our  postal  and  convention 
requirements;  and  unless  we  now  interest 
ourselves  aggressively  in  the  matter  of  har- 
bor development  we  shall  miss  the  greatest 
opportunity  of  all.  Only  vigorous  and  con- 
tinuous demand  will  secure  for  Chicago  what 
it  needs. 

The  Plan  of  Chicago  recognizes  that  Chi- 
cago is  the  Great  Central  Market;  that  it  has 
a  labor  market  such  as  only  a  metropolis  can 
supply;  and  that  our  hinterland,  the  Missis- 
sippi Valley,  is  the  richest  in  the  world. 

It  recognizes  that  congestion  is  an  eco- 
nomic waste,  Increasing  the  Cost  of  Living 
and  undermining  business  prosperity.  It 
recognizes  that  Chicago  is  a  wonderful  city 
with  Possibilities  which  no  other  city  in  the 
world  possesses.  Our  industrial  and  com- 
mercial Advantages  can  be  so  developed  that 
business  will  find  every  reason  for  moving 
into  the  Chicago  district  and  no  reason  for 
moving  out. 

With  its  Lake  Front  properly  developed, 
its  Streets  and  its  Park  and  Boulevard  Sys- 
tems  improved   and   connected,   its   Forest 

[28] 


Lands  preserved,  and  its  wasteful  and  dis- 
figuring Smoke  Nuisance  abated,  Chicago 
can  be  made  a  city  combining  beauty,  un- 
surpassed recreational  facilities,  and  com- 
mercial advantages  second  to  none. 

The  Plan  of  Chicago  further  recognizes 
that  Chicago  is  fast  becoming  a  Cultural 
Center  which  ranks  high  in  the  world  of  art, 
literature,  science,  music,  education,  and 
medicine.  In  a  word,  the  potentialities  of  this 
city  are  so  nearly  unlimited  that  no  ideal  is 
too  grand  or  too  great  for  it  to  aspire  to. 

Chicago's  location  is  strategic,  and  nature 
has  been  good  to  her.  Let  us  make  the  most 
of  it,  but  let  us  remember  that  nature  can- 
not do  all. 

Chicago  stands  today  at  the  threshold  of  a 
great  future.  She  is  within  Striking  Distance 
of  her  true  goal.  This  is  her  moment  of  great- 
est opportunity.  It  is  also  her  hour  of  Gravest 
Need  for  wise  guidance,  when  a  mistake 
would  mean  so  much.  Now — right  now — 
tomorrow  may  be  too  late — is  the  time  for 
Chicago  to  Prove  Her  Faith  in  the  Future. 


Chicago,  February  16,  1921* 


[29] 


UNIVERSfTY  OF  ILLINOIS-URBANA 


3  0112  072584383 


